Volume XIII
Pages 3897 to 3900

Witness Statement

John Brown

Date: 2007.10.05

I am the above named person and I write this statement in relation to a week I went to Portugal to play golf. I flew from Luton Airport, London to Faro, Portugal Airport on May 8th 2007. I went with my wife B*** B***, Michael WRIGHT a friend and his wife S*** W****, N***** R******, his wife J***** R******. It was a golfing holiday over four different courses. We all stayed with a friend out in the country. It was a villa belonging to D**** B*****. I have known him for 15 years. It is his privately owned villa. I booked my flights separately through EASy Jet. It is the first time I have stayed there with him. The only other time I have been to Portugal is approx 10 yrs ago. I usually go on holiday three times a year, this year I have been away four times in various locations, Egypt, Croatia, Devon and Portugal. I booked the flight myself. I booked the hire car online via the Easy Jet web page. I cant remember through whom. I hired this car in the spring time but I can't remember when. I booked it with two named drivers, myself and Michael WRIGHT. We both drove the car I hired at different times throughout the holiday. We used the car the transport some of the group to different courses for golf, restaurants and the villa. The only people to use or get in the car were myself, my wife, mr and mrs Wright and mrs R*****. No other person got into or used the car at all. To the extent that no one got into the car to even park it for us. the villa we stayed at was near Faro I believe. I collected the hire car upon arrival from the rental company at the airport in Faro and returned it to the same spot.

It had no damage to it at all. It was clean. I don't remember any marks or anything. The car was a people carrier with a rear storage area. It was a four door with tailgate boot door. We put suitcases for travelling to and from the airport and otherwise everyone I have mentioned that has travelled in the car has put golfing clothing and equipment. I had no problems with the car and did not need to change tyres or fill water up or anything. I think we travelled in the car alone. The car was a light colour. It was I believe a Renault car. I dropped the car off at the same place I hired it and picked it up on May 15th when I flew back to Luton, London. I generally followed Mr B****** around and he took us everywhere. One of the places we went to was TEVIRA. I can't remember the other places. The car was always left secure and locked to my knowledge.
Beyond the people named, at no point did we take any other baggage, belongings or property belonging to anyone else in the car. I have no idea how much I paid for the hire car. I think I paid for it by a Natwest access card but I am not totally sure. I did not do any other checks on the car or have trouble with it. I fully support police proceedings and I am willing to attend court should I be required to do so. I am sure also could provide further information from my papers at home if required.

Processos Vol XI

Pages 2997 – 2999

Witness Statement

Fernando Adolfo de Vasconcelos Pereira


Date: 3 October 2007; Time: 15h00; Place: DIC Portimao

Officer: Paulo F., Inspector

To the matter at hand he said:

He appears in the case as a witness given that he had in his possession, between 17 May 2007 and 22 May 2007, a vehicle, Renault Scenic, whose licence number he does not recall, that was rented through the Liberty insurance company as a substitute vehicle for his usual one that had been involved in an accident. It being that he was shown a copy of the rental contract referring to the vehicle of that make and model with licence 59-DA-27, which he confirmed as having signed, through the insurance company.
He had collected the vehicle from the AAC premises in Praia da Rocha on 17 May, having returned it at the premises of the school where he worked, where an employee of the rental company had gone [to collect it] on 22 May.
Asked to clarify his use of the vehicle he states that it was used basically for daily routine trips in the area around his residence. He was the driver of the vehicle during that time, admitting, though, that his wife had used it once for the specific purpose of going to the school where he worked.
Questioned he states that besides his children, his wife and his/her father, no other person was conveyed in that vehicle.
Also questioned he states that he never transported cadavers, human or any other species, nor any objects that could have been in contact with cadavers. He states further that during that period neither he nor other people transported in the vehicle had been in contact with cadavers.
Asked he affirms not meeting nor having had any kind of relationship either with the McCanns or with any other persons with whom they were related/associated.
He affirms not having knowledge of any situation happening with the vehicle that could possibly relate to the fact of cadaver odour having been found in it.
The witness was advised of the fact that from this moment he was obligated under judicial secrecy and to its inherent consequences.
Nothing more was said ...

Thanks to Albym


CARTAS ROGATORIAS UK (FILE 4) Pages 16 to 17

Witness statement of Michael George Wright

Date: 2008.05.01

Deposition of: Michael G Wright
Age if less than 18 years:
Occupation: Retired

_______________________________________
This deposition (comprising 1 page and signed by me) is true and according to my understanding. I testify with the knowledge that, given evidence to the contrary, I will be subject to arrest in the case I have voluntarily testified about something that I know to be false or not to correspond to the truth.

I live at the address previously furnished to the Leicester police and I am currently retired.

In May 2007 I went to Portugal with my wife on a golfing trip known as Wycherts Springs Tour. We were 14 people on a trip organised by Roger Ga.

We were lodged in a house of one of the group members named David Be. and whose address is: Casa xxxxxxxxx, Rua Ricardo Filipe, Quinta das Raposeiras, Bordeira, Santa Bárbara de Nexe.

Although the trip was organised by by Roger, it was I who reserved the flights for my wife and for me. Our friend John Brown organised the rental vehicle that we were going to use whilst we were in Portugal.

My wife and I caught the Easyjet flight from Luton to Faro on 8 May 2007. At the Faro airport John was to collect the rental car that he had reserved, on which I was added as additional driver. The car was used basically by me and my wife, by John and his wife. The only other person of the group who travelled in the vehicle during that week was Sra Ra.

I don't remember any detail of the car. I think it was a silver-grey Peugeot, but consulting the Budget rental contract I confirm that it was a Renault. The only memory that I have of the vehicle is that it did not have a key to start the ignition, but some kind of credit card that was inserted into a slot.

The car was returned to Rent-a-Car at the airport on 15 May 2007 at the end of our stay. But no-one other than John Brown and myself drove the vehicle during that week.

I am not known by the McCann family nor have I ever met with any of them.

During the period that I used the vehicle no-one was wounded or had wounds that bled, nor was any cadaver transported nor did anyone die.

This testimony was made by me and is true according to my understanding.

Statements linked in toc.

Processos Vol XII
Pages 3274 – 3275

From the German Embassy in Lisbon

To
PJ
DIC Portimao
Attention: G. Amaral

Date 8th October 2007

Subject: Disappearance of Madeleine McCann

Reference: NUIPC 201/07 GALGS fax 000732 of 28.09.2007

Dear Sir,

The Dessau Police located the individual who rented the Renault Scenic from 23 to 26.05.2007.

On 2.10.2007 officers went to the work places of

E******* M******
Wittenberg

And of his wife


K**** M******
Wittenberg


Where they were individually and separately questioned.

In summary they made the following statements:

They were in Portugal from the 16 to 27 May, more precisely in Alvor, near to Portimao and Lagos. They stayed at the Pestana D. Joao resort. They were accompanied by their 3 children (3, 11 and 16 years old) as well as KM’s parents.

When they arrived in Portugal they already knew about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann by means of the German press.

At the holiday resort posters about the disappearance were everywhere. They heard daily news on the radio.

They felt very insecure and always stayed close to their children.

At the beginning of the holiday Mr M was ill with otitis. For this reason they hired the vehicle from 23 to 26 May 2007. They hired the car to be able to travel with their children.

They hired the car from the hotel reception and Mr M signed a contract with the BUDGET rental company.

They picked the car up on 23.05.2007 at 10.00 – it was delivered to the hotel. They returned the vehicle on 26.05.2007 between 08.00 and 10.00 at the hotel.

It was a 7 seater Renault. They also hired a child seat for their youngest child.
The car was in good condition and clean. There were no particularities. The child seat was already very used.

The vehicle was driven exclusively by Mr M and was used only by the family. Trips were made together. During the rental period they never gave anyone a lift or lent it to third parties.

This vehicle was used for trips to Portimao, Ferragudo and Silves. They were short trips, of between 3 and 4 hours. The driver estimates that not more than 200 to 250 km were clocked up. The furthest place visited was about 50km away.

Neither Mr nor Mrs M have any explanation for the cadaver odour detected in the vehicle.

Neither of them knows the McCann family, they did not have contact with them or anyone from the circle.

Neither Mr nor Mrs M have criminal records or are registered with the police.

With compliments.


(Doc linked in TOC)

From the Letter of Request:

VI - Interview to the below identified individuals that had rented the Renault Scenic vehicle, number plate 59-DA-27 before GERALD MCCANN :

* JOHN BROWN, 16, HoXXX - GrXXX, MiXXXX - GrXXX BrXXXX MIXXXX, England, as well as MICHAEL WRIGHT, additional driver, at the same address.

Page 110

* ADRIAN ROBERT LOWES, 14 WoXXXXXXX ROXX - Barnard Castle, England, as well as RUTH AMANDA LOWES, additional driver, at the same address.

* KENNETH ARTHUR WALDEN, 37 LOXXXXXXXXXX RoXX, Walton Le Wolds, IEXX 8 XX, England.

* JOHN GRAY PATERSON, ThXXXXXXXX- TIXXXXXXXXXX, PAXX 2XX, England, as well as DR. GEORGE JEREMY THOMPSON, additional driver and holder of the driving licence THOMS30XXXX, issued on February 14th, 2007, in the UK.

* SIMON JOHN HALDER, 43 DE TAXX CoXXX, St Albans, England, as well as RAYMOND SMITH DUNCAN, additional driver and holder of the driving licence SMITH50XXXX, issued on January 24th, 2000, in the UK.

The aforementioned individuals should be asked as follows :

* Do you confirm having rented this vehicle ? Under what circumstances did you rent it ?

* Can you remember the date on which you signed the contract ?

* Are you acquainted with the MCCANN family ? If yes, what sort of relationship do you have with them ?

* Have you ever transported anyone dying or wounded, namely ble*ding ?

* Any further questions deemed useful, necessary or pertinent in view of the previous replies.

topic471.html

Cartas Rogatorias Vol IV
Pages 23-24


Leicestershire Police Force

Witness Statement

Statement of : Kenneth Walkden


Occupation: Semi Retired

This statement (consisting of 1 page and signed by me) is truthful and in accordance with my understanding. I make my statement conscious that, if proven to the contrary, I would be subject to be charged in the case of knowing anything to be untrue or which does not correspond to the truth.

Date: 29th April 2008

Signature.

I am the person referred to above and resident at the address provided to the police. I was requested to provide information relating to the vehicle that I hired/used during my visit to Portugal in 2007.

In March 2007 I travelled to Portugal for holiday with a group of friends, to play golf. This trip was organised by a friend of mine called P***** S****, including the flight reservations, accommodation, hire car, etc. P**** used a travel agency for this purpose, but I don’t know the name of the agency. These holidays were repeated every year and we were twelve in total; me, P**** S***, DH, MA, RD, CP, AF, KL, KT, JG, GT and RW.

We travelled from Birmingham to Faro on 25 March 2007 and upon our arrival we divided ourselves into groups of three. P**** had arranged all the car rentals, but I don’t remember from which agency. I was one of the designated drivers, I signed the rental contract and paid for the extra insurance with my credit card. The other two reimbursed me in cash. I knew that it was a Renault but I first thought that it was a Megane, however DC Johnson confirmed to me that it was in fact a Scenic. I remember that it was dark coloured, probably blue but I am not 100% certain, I do not remember the number plate and I do not have any paper in my possession relating to the hiring of the vehicle.

I was the only driver of the vehicle and the passengers during the holiday were CP and GT. On the day that we did not play golf, PS also travelled with us. I can confirm that none of the passengers suffered any injury or wound, they did not have any injury neither did they bleed. I can state with all certainty that nobody died in the vehicle.

We returned to the UK on the 1st April 2007 and delivered the vehicle to the rental agency at Faro airport. We caught the plane to Birmingham on the same day.

I am not familiar with any member of the McCann family and neither do I know any of them.

This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my understanding.


Doc linked in TOC.

Cartas Rogatorias Vol V
Pages 49-50

Leicestershire Police Force

Witness Statement

Statement from: Duncan Raymond Smith

Occupation: Insurance Agent


This statement (consisting of 2 pages and signed by me) is truthful and in accordance with my understanding. I make my statement conscious that, if proven to the contrary, I would be subject to be charged in the case of knowing anything to be untrue or which does not correspond to the truth.


Date: 30th April 2008

Signature.


For the last twelve years I have travelled to Portugal with a group of friends as member of a golfing group.

Four years ago part of the group acquired a timeshare villa number 742 in Vale de Lobo. This is the first resort on the way from Faro airport. As part of the timeshare agreement we reserved week eleven – the date of which changes from year to year.

From memory, I remember that we were away for St Patricks day – looking at my diary I see that we travelled to Faro on Saturday 10th March 2007 and returned on the following Saturday 17th March 2007.

My friend “Sid” – Simon Halder is the one responsible for all the arrangements and normally reserves the flight tickets as early as possible as well as the hire car. He is so organised that he made a detailed itinerary for our week, so that we all knew what time we had to get up to be ready to play golf and who was going to play against whom.

From memory – I can’t say this exactly, I think that the car that we hired belonged to Budget or Hertz rent a car and was delivered at Faro airport. As far as I recall all the reservations were made directly from the UK and I did not sign any rental car agreement.

I remember that we rented a Renault Scenic, but I am not certain of the colour nor can I confirm the number plate of the vehicle, given that we hired a similar car every year. Sid and I were insured to drive the vehicle, but I don’t like driving abroad and prefer to be a passenger. I think that I must have driven the vehicle once when we were in Portugal. Sid would have been the only other person to drive the vehicle that was rented to our group.

The other members who travelled as passengers were MB, MG, RA and JC.

The vehicle was only used by our group, it was not driven or used by anyone else during the week that it was in our possession. It was mainly used for transport to the golf clubs, restaurants and supermarket. The car was hired to transport us and our belongings, it was our means of transport during our stay.

We never transported anyone seriously injured in the vehicle. During the time we spent playing golf it is possible that that someone could have had a scratch or had a small injury that could have bled or left traces in the car. We would remove our shoes and socks and put on sandals and therefore it is possible that there might have been blood left there, but I don’t remember and visible sign of blood in the rental car.

The holidays were pleasant, the golf was great and the weather was magnificent. We did not go to Praia da Luz, neither have I ever been there. Our villa is very well situated, the resort is safe with its own security system. There no collectors or anyone strange or alarming. We were never victims of theft or loss of personal possessions.

I have never met Kate or Gerry McCann and I am in no way related to them.

This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my understanding.




Doc linked in TOC.

Cartas Rogatorias Vol V
Pages 51-52


Leicestershire Police Force

Witness Statement

Statement from: Simon Halder


Occupation: Accountant

This statement (consisting of 2 pages and signed by me) is truthful and in accordance with my understanding. I make my statement conscious that, if proven to the contrary, I would be subject to be charged in the case of knowing anything to be untrue or which does not correspond to the truth.


Date: 30th April 2008

Signature.


Since 1992 I organise a trip with a group of golf playing friends to Portugal every year. In 1994 we acquired a timeshare in Vale de Lobo which guarantees us accommodation every year during week eleven.

In 2007 this was the week of 10 to 17th March. The time share was acquired by means of the Elliot agency.

In 2007 we travelled from Luton airport at 07.00 arriving at Faro at 09.35. Duncan, N, K, M and I all travelled together and M arrived a little later from Gatwick airport.

Upon arrival I went to pick up one of the rental cars, which had been booked through the same travel agency. I paid for the hire in the UK and was given a voucher to hand in at the Budget rental car desk in Portugal.

I do not remember the model of the car that was given to us, nor the number plate. It was usually an F class vehicle, normally an Opel Astra with sufficient room for our luggage and golf clubs.

I went to the car rental desk and went to pick up the car which was parked behind and which had apparently been recently cleaned. I remember having difficulty in getting the engine to start, because the ignition system was different and an explanation from an employee was necessary.

I remember that Duncan Smith and I were covered by the insurance to drive the vehicle, but I would say that i drove the vehicle 95% of the time. The vehicle was used as part of our holidays in Portugal, mainly to transport us from the airport with our luggage but also for transport to the golf club and to restaurants.

The vehicle was never driven or used by anyone other than the members of the group.

As far as I can remember nobody travelled in the vehicle injured or bleeding and we definitely did not transport any deceased person in the vehicle. I had a first aid kit in my golf bag and as far as I can remember it was never necessary to use it to treat an injury or cut.

It is interesting that since I travel to Portugal and hire two cars simultaneously we have never been attributed two vehicles of the same kind – they are always different models and makes. We had two vehicles – one to transport the luggage and golf clubs and another to transport the group, but I can’t remember which vehicle was used for what.

I would say that the vehicle I drove was a grey estate car.

The vehicle would be parked next to the villa at night, it was a safe resort with frequent security patrols and I am certain that if a stranger had tried to approach it he would have been stopped by the security personnel.

The trip to the resort took 20 minutes by car, approximately 25 km. We did not go to Praia da Luz and I do not know where it is. I have never met the McCann family or had any kind of family links with them.

All the time spent in Portugal was pleasant, nothing unusual happened and we were never approached by collectors or strangers.

I would like to add that the others called me “Syd” given that this is how I am known by friends and family.

This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my understanding.


Doc linked in TOC.

Leicestershire Police Force

Witness Statement

Statement from: Thomson, George Jeremy


Occupation: Retired

This statement (consisting of 2 pages and signed by me) is truthful and in accordance with my understanding. I make my statement conscious that, if proven to the contrary, I would be subject to be charged in the case of knowing anything to be untrue or which does not correspond to the truth.


Date: 29th April 2008

Signature.

I am the person referred to above and resident at the address previously provided to the police.

For the last thirteen or fourteen years my wife and I would leave during the month of March for golfing holidays.

We travelled from Glasgow airport to Faro on 18th March 2007. The trip had been organised by our friends, D**** D***. He also made the reservation for a hire car from Faro airport, by means of an agency called Super Travel.

I had had some alcoholic drinks on the plane and my friend John Gray Paterson drove the hire car. I do not remember the car we rented, neither the colour or model of the car.

We stayed for a week at the Pine Cliffs Hotel before returning home (from Faro to Glasgow) on the day of my birthday, 25th March. During the holiday week Gray and I took turns in driving. Our trips were of a purely social nature, perhaps a drive to have lunch or within the hotel resort. The vehicle was rarely used.

The car was returned to the rental agency at the airport on 25th March 2007.

I have never personally met the McCann family (Gerald or Kate McCann) and have only heard about them from the media when their daughter Madeleine disappeared.

During the time that we were in possession of the vehicle none of us used it whilst injured. I can testify that in accordance to my knowledge none of the users of the vehicle injured themselves during the holidays.

This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my knowledge.


Doc linked in TOC.